


Sprocket

by Sherlock_holmes_girl_whovian_for_David



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: F/M, I Don't Even Know, Kissing, Romance, There's a new robot in town, i'll stop now, kind of, spine is a cutie, they are a fab band
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 15:45:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4269066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sherlock_holmes_girl_whovian_for_David/pseuds/Sherlock_holmes_girl_whovian_for_David
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a new robot in town. Don't worry she's not going to take the place of anyone on stage. Walter Robotics decided that it was too dangerous for humans to be in a close contact with blue matter for extended periods of time, as the engineers Chelsea and Camille have for the past years. There was only one solution, create a robot to look after the robots. </p><p>Genius really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sprocket

It came as a shock to the band that Chelsea and Camille were leaving, they were part of the family and knew exactly what they were doing when making sure the three robots kept ticking. Walter Robotics had decided it was too dangerous for the two to stay in such extended contact with the blue matter. It was an emotional set of goodbye's when the blue haired ladies were driven away in a Walter Robotics company car, The Spine wouldn't hide that he had tears in his eyes. Yes there were other members of the crew, and each one was loved dearly, but that small group had become a family of sorts and suddenly they were two down.

Around half an hour later everyone was called in for a group meeting, the three robots and their buddy trailing at the back still mourning the loss of their friends.  
"Hello everyone, I'm glad you are all here, I would like to introduce someone." A voice sounded from the front, sulking, The Spine wasn't paying enough attention to figure out who. "This is Sprocket, the new engineer for Steam Powered Giraffe."

The Spine looked up and tried to see the figure standing at the front, but the new engineer was turned the other way, being greeted by the other members of staff. She was in a long sleeve tight fitting black t-shirt and some red jeans, she had long bright red ringlets of hair falling over her shoulders, moving as she shifted her position slightly. All in all she looked pretty average, for their crew at least. 

Finally she finished greeting the other members of staff and turned to walk towards the three robots and their friend. It was a shock to see the shining silver metal that made up her face and all of the small group were dumbfounded as she walked smoothly towards them. The Spine watched as she walked over and was the first to shake himself out of the shocked silence that had befallen them.  
"Miss Sprocket, it's a pleasure to meet you." He said, politely with an air of indifference, holding a hand out to shake. She took it in a firm grip, shook once whilst returning the sentiment and then let go, moving on to greet the other three watching her. It was safe to say The Spine was a little annoyed that she took his cold shoulder so well. Much the opposite to The Spine, after Sprocket had greeted Steve and Hatchworth, Rabbit shook the robots hand enthusiastically.  
"I-I-It's a pleasure t' meet ya Miss S-s-sprocket! It's nice t' have another lady a-around!" Rabbit wittered away smiling brightly, Sprocket returning the affection, proceeding to converse with Rabbit for a good twenty minutes that gave The Spine plenty of time to fume to himself. He listened distantly to Sprocket telling the group that she was created by Walter Robotics to make sure that no humans were damaged by the blue matter that fuelled them, she had only been around a few months, her three month completion anniversary coming up, to which Rabbit excitedly proclaimed she was throwing a party for, and that she was made of a new special 'high-entropy' metal alloy that had a higher strength to weight ratio than any other existing metal, which meant she was smaller, lighter and more fluid in her movements, something very important for an engineer.

 

After few days of fuming and angry arguments with himself about how they didn't need this new 'Sprocket' (what kind of a name is that? 'Sprocket?') on the team, The Spine was due his first examination with her. It was just a general check so she could figure out everything she needed to know about the performers so she could help them quickly and easily if they broke. The Spine wasn't really that happy about letting her look him over. Hatchworth and Rabbit had both already had theirs the previous day and said that she was really very good. But The spine didn't believe it, he was still hung up over Chelsea and Camille leaving.     
Five minutes late The Spine walked into the room that they had dubbed 'the engineering room' for the duration of their stay at this part of the tour. Sprocket was ordering a few tools when he walked in and she turned when she heard the door.  
"Ah, The Spine. I was wondering if you were coming." She smiled at him and gestured for him to sit on a stool in the middle of the room. He didn't move from the doorway.  
"It's okay" She smiled "I know it's difficult adjusting to a new engineer, its a very personal procedure, but I assure you I am very professional and I'm merely here to make sure you're okay-" She was cut off by a bark of angry laughter from The Spine.  
"If you really wanted me to be okay you wouldn't have taken to place of two of my friends."

Sprocket looked a little shocked, but put down the tool she was holding and walked towards the door.  
"I apologise Mr The Spine, I shall not bother you again." Her voice wavering only slightly as she left the room and The Spine wished that he hadn't seen the drop of oil leak from her eye as she passed by him.  
He sat alone in the room for a long while before the door opened behind him. Turning he didn't expect to see the scowling face of his sister glaring at him.  
"W-What on earth did ya do t' the poor l-l-little thing?" She asked angrily. The Spine looked her over and saw a faint oil stain on her shoulder and sighed.  
"I got angry Rabbit. I was still angry about Chelsea and Camille and..." he tapered off when he heard a tentative knock at the door. Rabbit smiled and moved out of the way to reveal Sprocket, with a couple of stray oil stains on her cheeks but a small smile playing at her lips. The Spine nodded at her gently and she smiled a little brighter.  
"May I continue the examination Mr The Spine?" she asked carefully, taking a step towards him.  
"Yes, Sprocket, you may. I apologise for my early behaviour-"  
"It's okay, I understand." She smiled wider then turned to Rabbit. "Thank you Bunny, I'll be okay now." She waved at Rabbit until her left the room, watching The Spine, a dubious look on her face.  
"Bunny?" The Spine asked.  
"I knew her name was something to do with Rabbits." She chuckled "She liked it so it stuck."  
"That sounds like Rabbit." He chuckled along. Sprocket re organised her tools for a few minutes then turned to face The Spine again.  
"Could you please strip to the waist?" She asked, her voice morphing into a professional tone. Awkwardly The Spine stripped off to the waist and sat on the stool. He could have sworn he heard a small intake of breath behind him, but wrote it off as his imagination. Sprocket moved around him first, just looking, then proceeded to perform a number of tests on him, apologising occasionally if he gasped slightly or showed a minute amount of pain. Around half an hour later she took a step back.  
"You can put your clothes back on now Mr The Spine. Thank you."  
"You don't have to call me 'Mr The Spine' Sprocket." He says, buttoning his shirt.  
"Okay, The Spine." She says as she puts away her tools.  
He finished getting dressed and placed his hat on his head, holding out a hand to shake. She takes it, like their first meeting, and The Spine smiles and shakes a few times.  
"Thank you very much Sprocket, I'll see you later."

 

The next time he saw her she was hanging upside down from some staging. They had just moved to their next location and the crew were setting up their stage.  
"Sprocket?" He asked, looking up at her.  
"Oh! Hello The Spine!" She called down. "Move back a little bit?"  
He moved a few steps back and she jumped down. Her hair was tied in a long plait down her back and her lips were the same shade of red.  
"You have lipstick?" The Spine asked before he could stop himself.  
"Oh, yes." She looked down. "Bunny gave me it."  
"Ah, I should have guessed, it looks nice."  
"Uh, thanks."  
An awkward silence fell.  
"So!" The Spine said suddenly, making Sprocket jump. "Why were you up there?"  
"I wasn't busy so I thought I could help out, you know? Be a bit more useful than sitting in my room."  
"Okay."

"Sprocket? We could use your help up here!" A voice floated down from the top of the stage.  
"Okay! Be up in a minute! She shouted back, apologetically smiling at The Spine. She walked towards the scaffolding to climb up, but she was too short to reach the first bar, standing at 5'5" she was relatively small. Even jumping she couldn't get a grip on the bar. She turned to The Spine who had been watching.  
"Could you give me a boost?" She asked hopefully. The Spine looked taken aback, but nodded and walked to her, holding her waist and pushing her up. She was a lot lighter than she looked and she screamed loudly as she was flung much higher than intended, forgetting to grasp a bar and fell back down onto The Spine who was knocked over with her. They lay on the floor in a tangle of limbs. Neither of them were sure who broke the silence with the first giggle, but before long the both of them were laughing loudly.  
"Come on Sprocket!" Drifted down from the staging again. They disentangled themselves, Sprocket giving The Spine a once over to make sure he hadn't broken anything.  
"You think we could try that again?" She asked, still giggling slightly.  
"I'll try not to launch you this time." The Spine replied. Gently he lifted her up so she could grab a bar of the scaffolding and pull herself up.  
"Thanks!" She shouted down, climbing up higher quickly. The Spine sighed shaking his head, shoulders still shaking in silent laughter as he walked off.

 

The Spine was sad. Not that he would let anyone know it. He had been for the past few days, and most people knew to stay away from him for the next week or so. It is the anniversary of The Jon leaving them. Unfortunately Sprocket had no idea.  
"Come on Sprocks, leave him b-b-be." The Spine heard Rabbit say from outside his door.  
"You don't have to come in Bunny, but he looked sad. I can't just let him be alone for that."  
With that there was a gentle knock on the door.  
"The Spine?"  
No reply, he did want to be alone right now.  
"Can I come in? Please?"  
No reply.  
"Spine, please."  
No reply.  
"Okay. Okay, goodbye."  
Suddenly he was terrified of being alone.  
"Wait!" He shouted and yanked the door open. He looked utterly wrecked, he barely held back a sob. She ushered him back into his room and closed the door.  
"Oh hun..." She said gently, holding his shoulder as one tear slipped from his optics. Without warning he started to sob violently. She guided him to the bed, sat him down then perched next to him, a hand rubbing gentle circles on the back of his neck. He just started shaking more. She bit her lip and wrapped an arm around him. The Spine turned immediately and wrapped her in his arms and held her close, sobbing into her shoulder.  
"Hey, it's okay, it's okay." She murmured to him.  
Half an hour of sobbing later he calmed down enough to let go of her.  
"You feeling better?" She says gently, watching him as he pulls back. He nods, not trusting his voice. She smiled at him and pulled a rag from her pocket and reached up to carefully wipe his face clean of the oil build up caused by his sobbing.  
"You need an oil top up, then you should shut down for today. You'll feel much better after that I promise." She said in a mothering tone, handing him the rag to wipe the few stray tears still falling away as she went to get him the oil top up.  
Returning she found him half way to power down.  
"Come on, just this then you can sleep." She gave him the oil, then he powered down. She took his hat off and smoothed his hair, then left the room.

"H-how's he doing?" Rabbit asked when she found Sprocket.  
"He'll be okay."

 

There was one thing that confused The Spine about Sprocket. If she was here to look after the three of them, who looked after her? She was a robot after all. His question was answered not long after that thought.  
"W-w-whoa! What's happening Sprocks?!" Rabbit shouted suddenly one morning. The Spine ran to the room to see Sprocket sat in the middle of the engineers room, in front of a mirror examining her forearm, the plating on the floor, just wires and structure showing.  
"Calm down Bunny, I was just stuttering in my left arm for some reason, I wanted to know why."  
Rabbit however looked horrified and ran to her, trying to pull the tool that was currently lodged in her arm out and Sprocket went rigid. Rabbit yelped and jumped back.  
"The Spine! Do something!" She screeched and pushed him towards her. Sprockets head had started to twitch and her mouth was moving as if she was talking, but there was no noise. Carefully he looked at her arm, seeing how the tool had become tangled in her wires. He reached towards the tool and Rabbit gasped. He flinched then glared at her.   
"Not helping."  
Rabbit nodded and put a hand over her mouth. The Spine tried again, shifting the tool gently, trying not to damage any wires. Slowly it began to come free. The Spine gave it one last tug and it came free. Sprocket whirred into action, shaking her head.  
"Well that wasn't a nice experience." She smiled at The Spine. "Thank you." She looked to Rabbit. "It's okay Bunny, it's my job. I know what I'm doing. I promise you don't have to worry, just don't try it yourself, or things like that or worse could happen." She stood and pulled the clearly shaken robot into a hug. Rabbit held on tight and The Spine left the two to their moment.

 

"Sprocket! It's Hatchworth! He won't stop making this high pitched squeaking noise!" Rabbit shouted. Sprocket came running in.  
"What's happening?" She asked, then paused as she saw Hatchworth stood in the middle of a hallway emanating a very annoying noise on the verge of human hearing. She pushed aside a hatch in his neck and found the loose connection that was causing the noise. The noise stopped and Sprocket turned and bumped straight into The Spine.  
"Oh! Sorry." She said, stepping back and falling over Hatchworth's feet.  
The Spine reacted without thinking and grabbed her waist tightly before she hit the floor, holding her close. They was very little distance between the two and The Spines eyes strayed to Sprockets slightly parted lips for a little too long. She bit her lip gently, looking away from him.  
"Uh. Thanks?" Sprocket said, pulling away from The Spine, shooting a dirty look at Rabbit who was giggling in the background.  
"No problem Sprocket." The Spine replied awkwardly.

 

For the next few days it was almost like Sprocket was avoiding The Spine. Until the inevitable.

The band were on stage when all of a sudden The Spine froze solid. A nervous glance was shot between Rabbit and Hatchworth who began to act around it like it was supposed to happen. Sprocket was then shoved onstage to try to fix The Spine as soon as possible.  
"Oh look! Here comes Sprocket!" Exclaimed Rabbit, gesturing wildly to the robot who had just approached The Spine. The brass robot continued her speech.  
"Ya see ladies and gentlemen. This is our new engineer. She's a robot too. She's pretty ain't she? But, I'll let ya in on a secret ladies and gentlemen." She said in a faux whispered tone "Me and Hatchworth here think that The Spine has a itty bitty crush on her. Don't you think?" Hatchworth nodded along while the crowd 'awwed' and 'ooooed".  
Sprocket finally got The Spine up and running. Jolting into action he immediately realised what had happened.  
"Well, what happened when I was out then?" He joked with a smile and Rabbit just grinned mischievously. He frowned at her but got nothing from her look other than it probably was something bad about him.  
"Oh, nothin' much" she giggled as Sprocket tried to get to backstage. "an' don't ya have someone to say thanks t'?" She gestured to the retreating figure. The Spine looked as uncomfortable as Sprocket did.  
"Thank you for fixing me." The Spine said to her, tipping his hat and the crowd 'awwed' at him again. Confused, The Spine encouraged the group to carry on with the performance.

 

Backstage after the show that night The Spine went to find Sprocket. She was sat in her room staring at the wall.

"Thank you for fixing me on stage tonight" He said after she didn't seem to acknowledge his presence. She turned to look at him then stood up and walked towards him, only stopping when she got very close. In one fluid movement she pulled his head down and stood on her toes, joining their lips together firmly before pulling away to assess his reaction. The Spine just stared in shock. Sprocket looked away sadly and began to move backwards. The Spine regained himself and pulled her back in. They kissed again, the sensation of their mixture of metal and latex lips sending them into a more frenzied state and they kissed harder and with more passion. The Spine moving to crowd Sprocket up against the wall, her hands drifting up his shoulders, into his hair. It was at this time that Rabbit decided to bounce in unannounced.  
"Finally!!" She yelled and ran off again.  
The two broke apart and began to laugh, hearing the echo's of Rabbit announcing the news to everyone. The Spine leaned in for a gentle kiss.  
"I think I've grown to like you, Sprocket"

**Author's Note:**

> Hey. So things to point out. My first SPG fic so yay!
> 
> Constructive criticism is life so pile it on. 
> 
> Thanks guys!  
> Alex xx


End file.
